Jerry A. Snyder

Dear Friends and Family,
Writing with an update on my dad, Jerry Snyder. As you likely know, he was battling pancreatic cancer for the past 3 years. While he and his team of physicians at Penn Medicine were able to arrest the cancer, it was an ugly win (kind of like the current ugly winning record of his favorite football team, the Philadelphia Eagles). Unfortunately, the chemo, proton therapy and Whipple procedure took a toll on his body. Over the past few months, my dad was unable to take in or successfully process nutrients to sustain his body. Last week, he bravely chose to come home for hospice care, and late Sunday night he passed away peacefully.
My dad did not want an obituary, memorial, or funeral service. So, we are following his wishes (kinda), by sending this email in lieu of a formal obituary.
You may know my dad as a golfer who worked hard to shoot his age (he came very close in his mid-70's), a former tennis player, a knowledgeable car guy who enjoyed driving his sports cars, a former skier (cross-country, downhill and water), an avid sports fan – especially the Philadelphia Phillies (although he was not shocked the Phillies blew the World Series), Sixers (he and my mom love watching Tyrese Maxey) and Eagles (the Dallas Cowboys will always suck), Boston Red Sox (with my mom), and NY Jets (with my brother and his daughter) or as an inquisitive, life-long-learner who was well-read across multiple subjects (particularly history, economics, and science). He was also an avid home chef who enjoyed cooking (and eating) anything that he and my mom dreamed up, including trying to recreate his favorite grilled swordfish from Legal Seafood.
Others may know my dad as a Franklin & Marshall College Diplomat, a Villanova University Law Grad, an attorney who served in the Army as a Captain, Judge Advocate General (JAG) during the Vietnam war (where he received two commendation medals), an Assistant District Attorney in his home County of Lehigh, a trial attorney who successfully led his own law firm (twice!) specializing in insurance litigation and estate planning, or as a long-time advocate for his hometown city of Allentown. Some of you may recall that he had originally hoped to serve as a Judge in Lehigh County, but God had a bigger plan. About a year after he lost the election, my dad was named the City Solicitor for Allentown. It was in this role that he was able to play a key role in revitalizing downtown Allentown, including delivering the PPL Center for the AHL Phantoms and community.
Yet others may know my dad from his devotion to Millen Lake in NH. He served as the President of the Lake Association and volunteered with my mom at the boat dock to help keep the lake clean. My dad treasured maintaining the family homes ('What Cheer' and the 'Little House'), preserving the beauty and history of the lake, and cruising the lake with his family. My dad loved playing golf in the Millen Lake Open, sailing in the annual regatta with my mom, and "jeeping" on the back trails with his kids and grandkids. He was also known to enjoy a few martinis to unwind – his favorites were Gordon's, Bombardier, or Blue Coat gin with a twist of lemon.
We know my dad as my mom, Diane's, beloved husband of nearly 55 years, my brother Chris' soccer and little league baseball coach, the guy who taught me how to drive on a manual MG, the dad who believed in his kids and supported our dreams (although he talked both Chris and I out of becoming attorneys!), a bonus dad to my husband Brad for the past 30 years, a trusted ear for Chris' wife Tania, as a fun Pop-Pop to his young granddaughter Madison Snyder, and a devoted "caddy" for his grandsons, Ryan and Kyle Brubaker, during many family trips to Disney, ballparks, golf courses, etc. My dad put family first, always. We will miss him beyond measure. He has been the anchor for our family, and we will treasure the love and support he always gave us.
Please feel free to forward this to someone we may have inadvertently missed because we did not have their email address. Also, please feel free to share your memories with us – my Mom and brother are cc'd on this note. Last, in lieu of flowers, please feel free to make a donation in memory of my dad to the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network – either directly at pancan.org, or in care of Keller Funeral Home, PO Box 52, Fogelsville, 18051, who has offered to coordinate donations on our behalf. (Thanks Amy!)
Warm regards,
Erin Brubaker (on behalf of the Snyder/Brubaker family)